Bulgarian Lakes

The glacial-type of lakes are most numerous in the country. There are near three hundred of them, located in the high mountain zones of the Rila and Pirin Mountains. Most are located at altitudes between 2200 and 2400 meters. The highest lying lake is Ledenika Lake, in the Rila Mountain - at an altitude of 2715 meters.
The lakes freeze around October and melt in June and the ice cover on top can be up to two meters thick. In summer they receive their waters from the melting snow-drifts on the mountain screes and peaks. Most of them flow into wild streams from which the big Bulgarian rivers - Iskur, Maritsa and Mesta take their course.

There are near two hundred glacial lakes in the Rila Mount. Most of them are scattered in circuses, but there are also many large groups of lakes - the Ribni (Fish), Malyovitsa and Moussala lakes, the Seven Rila Lakes, etc. Their depth varies between three and 40 meters. Okoto Lake (The Eye) is the deepest - 39 meters. The lakes are crystal-clear and the average visibility is from 6 to 15 meters!
The Pirin Mount has about one hundred and sixty lakes, occupying an area of 180 hectares. The larger lake groups include lakes: Demyanitsa and Bunderitsa and the lakes along the Sandanska Bistritsa and Retizhe Rivers. The average visibility is also very high - about fifteen meters.

The champion of the Pirin lakes is Popovo Lake, also popular as the "Pirin Sea". Located in the largest circus, it covers an area of 12.4 ha and is almost five hundred meters long and 336 meters wide. The small rocky peninsula Popova Kapa is a popular tourist target, situated in its northwestern part.
The best known group of lakes in the Rhodopes is the Smolyan Lakes. They are located in the Western part of the Rhodopes. Seven in all, they are amphitheatrically situated. The natural phenomenon Orlovi Skali (Eagle's Rocks) rises in the vicinity.